الفهرس 
Introduction.Only 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
1- The subject of the architecture of women in Islamic Egypt from the Fatimid era until the Ottoman era focuses on the Islamic antiquities and adds to its growing scientific output in terms of depicting Islamic life in light of the monuments left by women that are still true evidence of their true faith and their dedication to meet the demands of their people.
An examination of women architecture in Islamic Egypt shows the belief of half of Egyptian society, represented by women, in their rights and duties, and that the Egyptian woman has been a model for what the Noble Messenger (PBUH) stated in the noble hadith: (Indeed women are the partners of men).
2- Women’s architecture in Islamic Egypt is an episode of its civilization, as the Egyptian women stand on an equal footing with men, cooperating sincerely to raise the status of their country to spread its values and teachings to the entire world.
Women’s participation with men in this field of civilization was a unique feature of Egyptian women since the dawn of history, and this venerable role lasted throughout ages until the beginning of the modern era. This is confirmed by the history of women in Egypt and their extensive activity in various aspects of life, especially in the field of architecture.
3- Women in the Fatimid era enjoyed great influence and broad authority through their political and administrative participation in the state affairs. They had their correspondence and signatures, which indicate that they may have been responsible for responding on behalf of the caliph in the state. For example, some had a positive role in the state, such as Sitt al-Mulk, the sister of the Caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah. However, some interfered negatively in the state, such as Sayyida Rasd, the mother of Caliph Al-Mustansir Billah.
4- The role of women in the second Fatimid era was characterized by strength, despite the increasing influence of the viziers. The Fatimid woman keen on keeping the regency in her children and defended the caliphate even if this required her alliance with enemies.
5- The women of the elite in the Fatimid era enjoyed huge wealth, had palaces, and contributed to the establishment of some urban facilities such as mosques and ribats.
6- The researcher of the history of cultural and urban activity in the Ayyubid era infers that many women professed science. They contributed effectively to the scientific renaissance, supporting cultural activity, political activity, and the architectural renaissance, especially in terms of building educational institutions to support the state policy. Thus, they have seriously participated in urbanization in its various forms, socially, economically and culturally.
7- Women also administered the political affairs on several occasions in the Ayyubid era such as Dayfa Khatun, daughter of Sultan Al-Adil and wife of al-Malik Al-Zahir Ghazi. In addition, the role of Shajar Al-Durr, wife of Sultan Najm al-Din Ayyub, can’t be overlooked as she managed the affairs of the country for a short period after the death of her husband, as well as after the killing of Turanshah bin Sultan Al-Salih Najm al-Din Ayyub.
8- Islam showed great flexibility to women and provided them with all freedom to carry out their role as influential and effective in Islamic society. They had complete freedom in the field of advancing the civilizational aspect and to participate without any restrictions, but the women of the ruling families were at the forefront and received many opportunities compared to the commons. This helped them to play an important role in the urban, educational and cultural fields.
9- Ayyubid women were influenced by their predecessors, especially in the era of the Zengid state, as the Ayyubids adopted the Zengid approach in many areas, not only the political, but the civilizational in general as they participated in the urban and service fields. In addition to their role in building madrassas, they worked hard in building zawiyas, khanqas, and public baths. Many of these urban landmarks are still in the Levantine and Egyptian cities in an indication to the contributions of the Ayyubid women not only in building educational institutions, but also in designating endowments to them. Women’s contributions were clear in this field and they participated in encouraging the intellectual movement in the Ayyubid era.
10- The rule of the Bahri Mamluk state continued for more than a century. The sultans of this state demonstrated their ability to manage the country and get rid of the dangers that befell it. Security and peace spread throughout their state, and thus was reflected in the prosperity of the economic and intellectual conditions of the Mamluk state, at a time when the other Arab Islamic cities, especially in the East, were suffering political instability. Therefore, Cairo became the focus of attention and a haven for everyone looking for political stability as well as intellectual advancement.
11- The flourishing economic conditions in Egypt, accompanied by the flourishing trade routes as a result of the political turmoil in the eastern Islamic world, led to the accumulation of huge amounts of money in the coffers of the Mamluk sultans from the revenues of internal and external trade. Hence, they used it to carry out the enormous urban projects that were considered the most important feature of their era.
12- Despite the scarce information about women’s activity in general in Egypt, the available information reveals the political, intellectual and social role played by the women of the Bahri Mamluk era. It can be found that they led the country at the most crucial times, and were standing alongside the Mamluk sultans through their assistance, advice and guidance.
13- Many women also had a clear mark on the intellectual side of various sciences, especially the religious sciences.
14- Women in the Bahri Mamluks era also had their share in establishing urban facilities in light of the massive urban revolution that prevailed in that era.
15- Women contributed to two basic architectural styles: the religious and civil. As for the religious architecture, it constituted the largest part of women’s urban interests.
16- Mosques and madrassas, as well as mausoleums, occupied the largest part of women’s interests in religious architecture.
17- Civil architecture did not have the same importance as religious architecture among women’s urban works as they were very few compared to the civil urban structures that were built in that era.
18- Woman was keen to secure her urban facilities to ensure the continuation of their work even after death, so she allocated enormous endowments to cover their various expenses. In addition, she appointed employees for following up and monitoring these endowments.
19- Women’s architecture in Egypt in the Ottoman era are a clear witness of many religious, political, economic and social landmarks on such a decisive era in Egypt’s long history. It begins with Sultan Selim’s seizure of Egypt in 923 AH/1517 AD, and ends three centuries later with the establishment of the modern Egyptian state by Muhammad Ali in 1220 AH / 1805 AD.
20- Women architecture and their buildings - as recorded in the documents – refute the rumors that the Ottoman era in Egypt was a one of isolation and restricting their residence in (the wings of harem) and indulgence in its diversions and conspiracies. On the contrary, women built a wide network of buildings in the Ottoman era, including mosques, sabils, wikalas, and shops of sewing, dyeing as well as public baths. All this reflects their participation in the public life, not social isolation. This is in addition to many residential buildings, both large and small as well as the majestic palaces.
This wide network of women’s buildings spread throughout other neighborhoods of (Egypt - Cairo) as well as in the regional capitals. This confirms women’s activity and their influence as they were not isolated from community, whether in the capital or outside it.
21- Woman built her buildings as she was seeking a decent living and to secure her life and that of her offspring. To do this, she allocated endowments (waqf system) in which the Egyptian society found a way to secure their properties.
Women were keen to personally witness the court sessions when registering and endowing their buildings, and to stipulate in precise detail the boundaries of their buildings, along with a detailed architectural description of their units. They determined strict stipulations for the person in charge of these endowments to preserve them and initiate repair and restoration, even if all of their proceeds were spent for that purpose and also abstained from paying the proceeds of their beneficiary.
22- The registration of structures showed the name of their founders and titles for women in the Ottoman era in Egypt, which are divided into two parts:
First: Some titles appeared for the first time in the Ottoman era in line with the then social developments represented by the tyranny of the sultan’s harem and the spread of Sufism. These new titles included:
Fakhr al-Mukhadarat: a title that preceded a woman’s proper name and is given to women of the ruling and upper classes.
Qadin: a title that follows the proper name for a woman, and it means the venerable lady.
Al-Baseera B-Qalbeha (Insightful with her heart), which is a title that was followed by a woman’s proper name and was given to a blind woman in reference to her condition and in honor of her at the same time. It also was a tribute to the life of Sufism that spread in the Ottoman era.
Second: Some titles were used in the Ottoman era as they were used before in the Mamluk era and in accordance with the followed rules and decrees, which are:
A: Titles that precede the proper name for women, which are:
Taj al-Mastourat, al-Sitr al-Haseen al-Manee’, al-Durra al-Maknouna, al-Jawhara al-Nafisa, al-Sitt al-Masouna, al-Hajja, al-Sharifa,
B: Titles that come after a woman’s proper name, which are:
Khatun - Hanem - Al-Hurma - Al-Mara.
Women’s possession of wikalas indicate the rights she had in the Ottoman era that the sources did not mention anything similar in Egypt before. This fact in turn refutes the accusations that spread in the Ottoman era of women’s isolation
Women’s ownership of wikalas confirms their wide authority in the world of trade and finance, which was subsequently followed by an increase in their status in society and with the ruling authorities at the same time, as the wikalas carried out the tasks that the Stock Exchange carries out at the present time. They supervise the state’s economy and protect its conditions. This fact becomes clear from studying the most important remaining wikalas for women in Egypt, i.e., wikalas of Jelsen and Nafisa Al-Bayda.
24- Women’s architecture in Egypt in the Ottoman era integrates the development cycles in Islamic architecture since the advent of Islam and the rules established by Muslim architect to make it in harmony with the conditions of each era.
This reached the peak in women’s buildings in the Ottoman era in terms of the good selection of location in accordance with their style and function.
25- The residential buildings for women in Egypt in the Ottoman era illustrate an important and established fact, which is that the home is the woman’s kingdom. This fact is clear in the architectural planning of ther buildings, to the distribution of its basic and secondary units, all in light of respect for the Islamic rule concerning the hijab and respecting those living in the house.
Woman and her life inside the house became the main concern of the architect in placing the recessed entrances to be away from sight. They distributed the reception halls on the ground floor and the seating on the first floor.
All of this aimed to keep away the visitor from seeing the female residents and distribute the harem halls on the first floor and its mashrabiya (wooden oriel windows) to allow women follow what is happening in men’s halls as well as to watch what is going on while maintaining their privacy.
Women at the end of the Ottoman era in Egypt had a strong desire to own palaces in the important neighborhoods of the capital. This is revealed by the study of the house of Zainab Khatun, which prove her personality and belonging to the ruling class.